With the next few weeks crucial to your fantasy team's chances of making it into the playoffs, New York Giants WR Hakeem Nicks needs to be in your starting lineup this week when his team takes on the Cincinnati Bengals.

Whether you drafted him or traded for him thinking that he was a great "buy low" candidate, anyone who has Nicks on their fantasy squad has been thoroughly disappointed with his production in 2012.

Aside from his 10-reception, 199-yard performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2—one that saw him haul in his only touchdown catch of the season—Nicks has basically been a fantasy non-factor.

In his other five games, he's caught 17 passes for 191 yards, averaging just over three catches and 38 yards per game—numbers you can find from almost any No. 3 receiver sitting on your waiver-wire.

While he had swelling in his knee this week, Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger says that Nicks is fine and will play against the Bengals, something ESPN New York also confirms (just in case you wanted a second opinion):